


Saying the truth.

by ohmerthurcharm



Series: The Pendragon Cycle. [3]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Dialogue Heavy, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Friendship, Honesty, Love Confessions, M/M, Morals, Politeness, Saying no, Talking, heavy topics that might offend people like:, rudeness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-10
Updated: 2018-09-10
Packaged: 2019-07-10 15:01:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15951740
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ohmerthurcharm/pseuds/ohmerthurcharm
Summary: Arthur and Merlin have a heart to heart and an unguarded Arthur lets something slip out that could change everything.





	Saying the truth.

**Author's Note:**

> Some topics that are being spoken about by the characters could offend people or make them disagree with what is being said. This is not to offend people, just showing that even though people have their different moral compass that they can still be friends and be respectful but firm with one another. This was not to offend anyone, this was not to make anyone change their view point. Now that this is sorted i hope everyone is enjoying the story. Stay tuned. The tension is getting higher.

Merlin sighed as he sat down on the sofa, turning on the T.V the man’s gaze drifted from the screen onto Arthur at the table, typing away on his laptop. 

“Do you think I fucked up at the interview? Uther didn’t seem happy.” Merlin asked calmly. 

Arthur paused and looked at him. “No, I don’t think so. You did well…”

“You said he’d crack jokes but he was as stiff as a cardboard box…” Merlin complained, folding his arms as he stared Arthur down. 

The man sat back, offering Merlin a kind smile. “You were stressed, it was the only way I could calm you down. Did it work?”

“For a bit…I kept waiting for him to make a joke but he didn’t…so I ended up cracking a few…he didn’t seem right. He was fishing for something...” Merlin wondered aloud. “At the end it seemed like he didn’t get what he wanted.”

“Don’t mind him, Merlin. You said the truth and that’s all that matters.” Arthur said, trying to sooth his mind.

“I guess so…” Merlin mumbled, looking back at the screen. “Want to catch a movie later?”

Arthur blushed a little. “Sure…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring a beanie…no one will recognize me.” Merlin said, looking back at Arthur with a smile.

“Yeah…I don’t want fans swarming us like last time.” Arthur said. “A bloody hour in the lobby…”

“I’m sorry, Arthur.” Merlin said, his face grimacing. 

“Your too nice to your fans, you need to say no once in a while.” Arthur said.

“It’s hard…” Merlin whined out, pouting.

“I know it’s hard but you need to, if you don’t want to do something…say no and walk away… I don’t care if they think you’re an asshole afterwards, you know you…. take care of yourself better.” Arthur said. 

Merlin blew out a sigh. “Your really smart, Arthur.”

“Stop changing the subject. Promise me to say no more often?” Arthur asked firmly.

“Only if I really, really don’t want to do it…or if I’m not in the mood…” Merlin bargained and Arthur regarded it and nodded. “Very well.”  
“Sometimes in life we need to do things that annoy us, challenge our phobias…Or else if I let the phobia win I’ll probably never leave this house and the band will be over.” Merlin said firmly. 

“But you need to say no if it really bothers you, where you just can’t stand it and you’re about to blow.” Arthur said and Merlin nodded. “Yes…of course…”

“But you’re too polite even when you do say no.” Arthur sighed. 

“Would you like me to rather to be an asshole when I say no?” Merlin asked and Arthur knew it was rhetorical. 

“I thought so.” Merlin said. “Look, Arthur….if there’s someone with scissors trying to cut my hair, then I’ll shout at them and be firm and assertive…but if it’s a group just wanting pictures or an autograph, there’s no reason to be furious, just gently say no and be polite and they will respect that…sometimes you don’t always need to take the aggressive route…only if they don’t respect your polite gesture, then you be firm, then assertive and then I can be an ‘ass’…” Merlin said. 

Arthur nodded. ‘Damn, Merlin. Your too nice sometimes.’ He thought to himself.

Merlin was quiet for a long while before guilty looking at Arthur as he was typing again. “I’m sorry…”

“It’s ok to be firm with me, Merlin…I respect that you didn’t back down from your beliefs…because even though you didn’t back down, you still listened and respected my view and even accepted parts of it.” Arthur said, eyes glued to the screen.

Merlin nodded slightly, feeling less guilty.

“But thank you anyways….” Arthur said with a fond tone.

Merlin smiled happily and took a sofa pillow and hugged it close. He was getting more and more excited about watching a movie with Arthur. He valued his friendship with Arthur very much and his very presence was a comfort to him. Arthur was good to him, even though they were very different people. They still got on and he was happy about that. 

“What movie shall we see?” Arthur asked, looking at a list. 

“How about the new spider man movie?” Merlin asked. 

“There’s a six o clock showing…want to go to that? Or maybe the eight o clock show?” Arthur asked.

“The six o clock…I want to get an early night.” Merlin said.  
Arthur nodded and booked the tickets.

“I’ll pay for the food.” Merlin said.

“If you want…. I mean…I could pay for everything as an apology for the sudden interview.” Arthur said and Merlin shook his head. “I’m in that type of industry, Arthur. It’s fine.”

“Well aren’t you a gentleman?” Arthur teased, smirking.

Merlin grinned, scoffing. “Hardly.”

Arthur smiled happily, his eyes gleaming with joy. 

Merlin noticed this. “What is it?” He huffed out with a small laugh.

“You really are a great guy you know.” Arthur said dreamily.

“I could be better but thank you for the complement.” Merlin smiled slightly.

Arthur shook his head. “I lov-” He said before stopping dead in his tracks and interrupted it with a cough. 

“You love what?” Merlin asked and walked over to him. “Arthur?”

“Pie.” Arthur blurted out.

“I know you love pie but you were really focused on me when you said it…what did you really mean?” Merlin asked.

Arthur’s face heated up intensely, his heart was hammering. 

“Arthur?”

Arthur gulped. “I….I was….” Tears welled up and he couldn’t hold back the emotion anymore. “I love you.” He confessed, his tone wobbly. 

Merlin frowned, shocked. “You….love me?”

Arthur wiped away his tears, sniffing and nodded. 

Merlin was quiet, looking around a little before his eyes settled back on Arthur’s puffy ones.

“I don’t know what to say.” He said gravely. 

Arthur shook his head. “No, no….it’s ok. Talk to me about it when your ready to….it’s my fault I couldn’t hold it in.” He bawled his hand into a fit, punching his thigh. “Stupid, Stupid…. blurted it out like an idiot.”

Merlin frowned more and kneeled, covering his thigh with his hands. “Stop it, Arthur. Don’t beat yourself up over this.”

Arthur was weeping now. “I ruined it, I ruined anything…”

“You haven’t…” Merlin said softly.

Arthur blinked and looked at him. “You mean it?”

Merlin nodded. “You’re my dearest friend, Arthur. Thank you for being so honest with me.” He said, offering him a soft smile. 

Arthur gave him a weak one in return and Merlin got tissues and wiped his face. “Here…clean yourself up…” He said, rubbing Arthur’s leg soothingly and Arthur obeyed.

“Do you still want to go to the movie?” Merlin asked gently and Arthur shook his head. 

“Very well…let’s just relax here…I’ll make some popcorn and open up a few cans of soda and we can watch something here ok?” Merlin asked. 

“Why are you being so nice to me?” Arthur breathed out, his voice still thick with emotion.

“Your clearly upset…I just want to make you feel better is all.” Merlin said. “I feel bad I’m part of the reason for you being so heart sore…”

Arthur sighed. “It’s my fault, Merlin. Not yours…. you’ve been so kind to me.”

“As you’ve been to me…” Merlin smiled. “I really do care for you, Arthur. You haven’t ruined anything…sure it might be a little awkward but we’re ok…alright?”

Arthur smiled widely then and nodded. “Yeah, we’re ok.” 

They didn’t realize the flash of a camera by the window as they got up and made their way to the bathroom to clean Arthur’s face better.


End file.
